


Second Chances

by EvasivaArdilosa (AILiSeki)



Category: Mortal Kombat (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29069577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AILiSeki/pseuds/EvasivaArdilosa
Summary: In which Harumi Hasashi is also a ninja and her family gets a chance to be happy, even if it looks nothing like what she imagined their future would be.
Relationships: Harumi "Kana" Hasashi/Hanzo Hasashi | Scorpion/Kuai Liang | Sub-Zero
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	1. Survivors

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to my newest project!
> 
> If you are here mostly for SubScorp, be patient. The first two chapters are mostly focused on Harumi, and Kuai Liang only shines in the third. If you for some reason want to avoid it, skip the third chapter fully, but check the fourth which is an epilogue showing how future events are changed. 
> 
> This is set in the new timeline (with a few old timeline things to fill in the blanks).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Follow Harumi as she escapes the Shirai Ryu massacre with her son.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I assume that two years passed from the massacre and Hanzo’s death to the first tournament, then another couple of years until the invasion by Outworld. (Exact numbers between the three stories of MK9 are hard to find but I just want to think that it didn’t all happen one after the other and the characters had some time to rest in between them.)

A feeling of dread had been accompanying Harumi for months.

It started around the same time that Hanzo joined a very selected group in the clan, the warriors trained in the most deadly skills of kombat. That meant going on more important missions, where the stakes were higher, and the risk was always present, but that didn’t make Harumi afraid. She trusted her husband’s abilities.

At the time, she attributed it simply to the hormones of her pregnancy.

As it advanced, Harumi saw it get harder and harder to stick to her training routine. Back pains and morning sickness got worse as her body changed, and it frustrated her. She was a trained Shirai Ryu warrior, but in the current conditions, she couldn’t do much to defend herself if she needed to. The feeling of dread grew worse.

Hanzo’s missions came and went. He didn’t want to leave her side for too long, despite her insistence that she would be fine. They both had their part to play for their child’s future. Hers involved staying at home for now, his was in his missions. Yet she couldn’t deny that she felt better when he was nearby.

Their son was born, a healthy, beautiful baby, and Harumi was moved to tears of happiness every time she looked at that tiny little thing born from hers and Hanzo’s love.

When she woke up at night, sweating, afraid, she thought it was her worry for the baby, for all the dangers that could befall someone so small, so fragile yet. Even if seeing her son safe and sound was not enough to shake the feeling.

Satoshi was almost one when the unnamed fear that plagued Harumi took shape.

She was hiding in his room, holding him close to her body, trying to keep him calm. She could feel the scent of smoke, hear the battle cries and the clashing of blades outside. Hanzo wasn’t home, he had left for a mission that morning.

Just a few minutes before, she saw one of her friends be decapitated in front of her, close enough that their blood spilled on her clothes. The invaders were attacking anyone in their way, adults and children alike, and they had no mercy. She fought a couple of them on her way home. They had a darkness about them and inhumane strength.

As Harumi held her son close, she tried to follow what was happening outside. Some of the strongest warriors she knew were out there, fighting to protect their village, and one by one they were falling. She silently sobbed. She couldn’t leave Satoshi to join them, and she certainly couldn’t fight and keep her baby safe at the same time. It seemed like a matter of time until the invaders found her, and that was the end.

She couldn’t just sit there and wait for death, either.

As silently as she could, she stood up and tied together some clothes to make an improvised baby carrier. She stood a better chance if she could use her arms. Satoshi seemed to get calmer as he settled near her body. Maybe it was the closeness, or maybe he somehow knew that his mother wouldn’t give up.

Harumi moved through the house, hearing from the battle sounds outside to find the direction in which she would be less likely to run into invaders. She knew the woods nearby well, if she could get there without being seen, she could assure her survival until it was safe to come back.

That was enough of a plan, all things considered. With that in mind, she jumped from a window, the twilight colors lighting her way.

* * *

Harumi found shelter in a cave, fed on fruits and prey she hunted, and drank from a nearby lake. She wasn’t seen or followed, but she spotted some of the attackers in the woods even after three days had passed.

She could tell they weren’t just hanging around. They were on a hunt. She understood then, that no matter what their motivations were, they wouldn’t stop until they killed the last of the Shirai Ryu. She thought of Hanzo. Did they know about him? Would they go after him as well?

She couldn’t even leave a message for him, or anything to let him know where she was. It wasn’t safe back when she fled, and it seemed it wasn’t safe now. It was painful to think what her husband might find when he came home.

The attackers, though. There was something very odd about them, something other than their murderous intent that made Harumi shiver. On the third day, she realized she couldn’t return to the village. It was unlikely she would ever get her old life back. The thought made her feel hopeless, but Satoshi needed her to be strong so that was what she did.

Harumi spent the next months traveling from village to village, careful not to reveal her true identity in case the attackers could find her. She tried to keep close to places where she could hear the rumors, so she could learn more about her clan’s fate, about possible survivors, and maybe, just maybe, about Hanzo. She tried not to ask too much, not to seem too interested, not to raise any suspicions.

Once she was far enough and long enough had passed, she settled down. Adopted a fake name, got a job. The days blended in for her. Harumi was melancholic, grieving for friends and family she didn’t get to bury. She didn’t know if Hanzo had made it back to Japan, and maybe she would never know. When asked about her son’s father, she said she was a widow, and while that was just to keep appearances, it still hurt to say.

She thought she would never smile again. But then, Satoshi said his first word, and she was reminded again of the reason why she still fought the sadness and grief and moved forward.

Satoshi became all she lived for. She moved from place to place to make sure he was safe. She worked so he would have a roof over his head and enough food to eat. She told him stories, even if he couldn’t understand them yet, and she played with him, and she celebrated every milestone. And she was still in pain, but his smile made everything feel alright for a while.

Harumi eventually moved to a bigger city, where she had to quickly adapt to a world of new technologies and a new lifestyle. She now had a television and it showed her news from all over the world, but still couldn’t give her the answers that she needed. But the bigger city had the advantage of having all sorts of citizens, and she soon found the right places frequented by the people who could know. From gangsters to those with affinity with the dark arts, and among them the people who knew all about how to hire an assassin.

It wasn’t that easy to get information from them, especially not without exposing herself. No one seemed to know what happened to the Shirai Ryu other than that they were all gone now, and a few unfounded rumors that didn’t fit what Harumi saw that day. The most important piece of information didn’t come from her attempts at inquiry, but from a conversation she overheard while waiting for someone. Something about the recent Mortal Kombat tournament, and a demon dressed in yellow. Could she dare to hope?

She tried not to think too much about it, but her mind came back to it all the time. Sometimes, Harumi couldn’t even sleep thinking about it. Hanzo could still be around. He could be in trouble. She needed to find him.

It turned out she didn’t have to do much. One rainy night, the lights went out. She told Satoshi, 4, to stay in his room while she looked for some candles. As Harumi stepped into the living room, she saw she wasn’t alone.

She bit her lips to hold her scream. Someone stood near the door, she couldn’t see them well due to the darkness but they were tall and large. And they noticed her too, their eyes looking directly at her.

Harumi hadn’t been in a fight since she escaped the Shirai Ryu massacre, but she still exercised and even practiced some moves when she was sure no one would see it. She looked around for anything nearby she could use as a weapon if needed.

“Harumi.”

Her heart stopped at the single word the stranger said. Not because he knew her name, though that would have been worrying, but because of his voice. She would know that voice anywhere.

“Hanzo?”

She heard him sob.

“I shouldn’t have come. I am not worthy of being in your presence. But when I heard you could be alive, I had to see it for myself.”

Harumi closed the distance between them.

“You’re alive. I thought you had-” She felt him tense. “Hanzo?”

“I am not alive. I failed my mission. I was killed.”

As if by magic, the candles on the table all lit up, and Harumi could finally take a good look at her husband.

He still wore the recognizable Shirai Ryu colors, but it wasn’t the same uniform he wore when he left for his mission. It was more elegant, more detailed, as if made just for him. His weapons too, hanging in place, looked as if they had been upgraded. He had the mask on, so she couldn’t see much of his face, but she could see his eyes. His eyes! Fully white, lifeless.

“You’re… some sort of ghost?” She hesitatingly asked.

“A specter,” Hanzo explained. “I have the memories of our time together, but I am not the man you remember.”

Harumi frowned. “What do you mean?”

“After I died, I was sent to the Netherrealm, where I met the sorcerer Quan Chi. He told me of what happened to the Shirai Ryu and offered to bring me back so I could have my revenge.”

“Surely, for a price?” Harumi asked.

“I serve him.”

“And did you have your revenge? Did you find the one who lead the attack?” Even talking about it filled Harumi with anxiety.

“Sub-Zero, from the Lin Kuei. I defeated him in kombat.”

“You finished him.” It wasn’t a question.

It was hard to tell what Hanzo was thinking or feeling right now, but Harumi noticed something about him that looked a little sad, regretful maybe.

If she was honest, this story of a Lin Kuei being behind the attack didn’t convince her. She was sure the invaders were not human. While the Lin Kuei had their cryomancers and rumors about other demons always came and went, they were still mainly human assassins.

But this didn’t matter right now.

“You don’t need to hide anymore,” Hanzo said.

Harumi doubted it. “What about this sorcerer, how do you serve him?”

“I face his enemies in kombat.”

Harumi nodded. That was not the answer she wanted and Hanzo knew it, and he knew she knew. Instead of pressing the issue, Harumi let her fingers go find the borders of Hanzo’s mask.

“Can specters kiss?”

“Probably.” He answered, raising an eyebrow.

Harumi slowly removed his mask, giving him time to stop her if he wished. He let her, but put his fingers on her lips as she started to approach.

“I still love you just as much as I did the last time we met.” She said. “Do you love me?”

“More than anything.”

“Then I don’t care if you’re the devil himself.”

With that, she pulled him into a kiss.

The only noticeable difference was that he was now much warmer to the touch, as if he had a high fever. That was surprising to Harumi, that somehow expected him to be colder now. Other than that, it was still the same kiss she knew so well and missed so much these last few years, if not perhaps a bit more desperate. She didn’t want to let go, and Hanzo seemed to not either, perhaps both fearing the same: that the other would disappear once they did. But at least one of them needed to breathe, so they parted eventually.

“Stay with me,” Harumi said.

“I can’t,” Hanzo replied, resigned.

“At least promise you will come back.” She insisted. “I don’t want to lose you again.”

She could see in his eyes that this was not an easy request, and she was ready to reassure him that whatever reason he had for not doing it didn’t matter much for her. If he still felt that he was unworthy for being a specter, she would tell him she only saw the same man that she married. If he thought it was dangerous, she would remind him she was also a trained warrior.

In the end, Hanzo showed her a sheepish smile. “I don’t think I would be able to stay away, even if I tried.”

Harumi felt her heart leap in her chest. Dead or not, that was still the same Hanzo she knew.

It was very easy to fall into the new routine they formed from that day on. Hanzo visited at least once a week, most times more. Harumi could tell herself he was only out on a mission, which wasn’t far from the truth. They caught up on the years they were apart. Sometimes Hanzo brought her some flowers or trinkets from another realm.

More importantly, Hanzo got to meet Satoshi, and see how much he grew. Harumi was almost moved to tears each time she saw them together, the two most important people in her life. Satoshi was so happy for having his father around. And Hanzo became even sweeter when he was playing with their son.

Satoshi asked a lot of questions, but Harumi thought it best not to tell him yet about Hanzo being dead. That felt like it would be too much for his young mind. He did know that his father worked away from home, and often traveled to distant places. He knew that he couldn’t talk about Hanzo to anyone, because there were bad guys who could be listening. And he knew that his father fought, a bit like the heroes in the cartoons he watched, since he saw the blades he carried.

Harumi herself didn’t know much about what Hanzo did for the sorcerer. She tried asking a few times in the beginning, but Hanzo always avoided saying much. She knew he would tell if she pressured him enough, but what good would it do for any of them? She didn’t want to bring the conflict into a home that she took so long to build. She knew whatever it was, it couldn’t be good, but she was willing to look past that, just as she was willing not to think on the implications of Hanzo being a specter, as long as they could still be together.

Some nights though, it hit her. The fact that things would never be the same and that they were robbed of the future they dreamed of before the massacre. The fact that Hanzo was not the same, despite appearing to be, that something had happened with his soul. The fact that she too had changed, and that she carried the blame for accepting whatever crimes he had been committing.

Despite this, Harumi had a couple of years of almost peace in which her family was together. It was like nothing existed outside her home. Until it all shattered.

Hanzo hadn’t been over for a while, and Satoshi was sent home earlier from school. He wasn’t able to explain why, but he turned on the TV.

It was all over the news. Monsters were showing up in big cities, attacking everyone in their way. The military forces were having a hard time facing them, scientists couldn’t explain what was going on, and people were advised to stay at home. Everyone was scared. Harumi started carrying her sword with her at all times.

The situation felt familiar to her. Watching the news felt like once again being hidden in Satoshi’s room, holding back her tears as she heard the fighting outside. Except it lasted weeks, and the fear was still high even as the invasion suddenly stopped. Their town was not attacked, but even after some months, Harumi didn’t want to leave Satoshi alone yet.

The worst part was watching the footage again and again, trying to find Hanzo in any corner. Fearing she would see him alongside the demons.

He only showed up again months after the invasion was over. It was the first time Harumi saw the spiral of fire in which he teleported. Everything felt much more real.

His eyes were sad, more than usual, and he let her speak first. It was late at night and Satoshi was asleep. She knew in that moment that he accepted there was no avoiding the subject now.

“You are safe.” Those were her first words, as she hugged her husband, hiding her face on his chest. Hanzo hesitated to hold her back.

“It will get worse.” He whispered, and that answered all of her questions.

“You can’t keep working for that man!”

He let her go and looked into her eyes.

“I don’t have a choice, Harumi. Even if I did, he would then come for you. I can’t put you in danger.”

Tears fell without asking for permission. Every fear Harumi had been afraid to voice was coming true.

“I should never have looked for you,” Hanzo said. “It would have been better if you still believed I was dead.”

It wouldn’t, but as Harumi opened her mouth to say it, he continued.

“I won’t bother you again.”

With those words, he was surrounded again by a spiral of fire, and disappeared before her eyes. 


	2. Reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harumi receives a visit from the mysterious Raiden, who has an important message about her husband, believed to be dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter I also assume a few things. First, that the “Netherrealm War” mentioned in MKX was public knowledge, as the attacks of demons hit large cities and affected many people. Second, I totally made up what the healing process for the revenants is like. Finally, we should be in the late 90’s or earlier 00’s by now.

Harumi woke up in the middle of the night feeling there was someone else in her house. Silently, she got up from her bed and took her sword, always left within arm’s reach since the war started, and went after the other presence.

“Mrs. Hasashi?” A voice called from behind her, making her jump.

It had been too long since anyone called her by her real name.

She turned around, and her bedside lamp turned on on its own. In front of her was a tall man in traditional clothes and a straw hat. His blue eyes shone supernaturally. Harumi couldn’t help but feel that could only mean trouble. Her grip on her sword was firm.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” The man said.

“Who are you?” Harumi asked.

“I am Raiden.” He paused, as if waiting for her reaction.

“Raiden? God of thunder?” She raised her sword a bit, suspicious.

“Yes.” The man seemed satisfied, as he didn’t clarify further. Instead, he went directly to the point. “I came because of your husband.”

“Hanzo is dead.”

“As of last night, he is not.”

Harumi blinked, unsure she had heard it right. “He… what?”

“He lives. His soul was restored. He is not under Quan Chi’s control anymore.”

That was too much. Harumi felt her eyes get teary. That was her biggest wish, but it felt so impossible that it couldn’t be anything but a lie.

“If this is some trick-”

“I assure you it’s not,” Raiden said. “I will take you to him.” He reached out his hand.

Harumi looked at it for a moment, considering her options. This could be a trap. But what if it wasn’t? Would she just refuse to see him?

Not dropping her sword, Harumi took Raiden’s hand. Soon they were surrounded by blinding light, and Harumi felt static running through her body. When the light faded, they were somewhere else.

That was the Sky Temple, Raiden explained, as he guided her to the chamber where her husband rested. He explained some more to her about Quan Chi’s magic, about how he was responsible for the Netherrealm War that took so many lives, about other revenants under the sorcerer’s control. Raiden was optimistic: the restoration of Hanzo and other two revenants had been accidental, but now he saw a possibility of using his powers, combined with Quan Chi’s magic, to restore the others. He seemed emotional when talking about it, just small expressions betraying the feelings that until moments ago he kept hidden in a calm, serious facade.

It must be hard to be a god, Harumi thought. She knew the being walking with her was much older than she could imagine, and would outlive her and all her descendants. He had immense powers and immense responsibilities, but despite it all, he was, in a way, a man, not much different from mortal men. He had people he cared about. People he couldn’t always protect. That must hurt.

They arrived in the chamber. There were three beds, two occupied by two unconscious men, the third empty. One of the men was her Hanzo, the other a stranger that wore familiar colors. Harumi ran to her husband, gently trying to wake him up but he didn’t react.

“He needs rest, Mrs. Hasashi,” Raiden said. “He will need some time to fully recover the physical and emotional trauma he went through, being murdered and turned into a specter. I trust he will be in good hands with you.”

“He will.” Tears now fell freely as Harumi saw him right there in front of her.

“I will help take him to your home.” Raiden offered.

Harumi nodded, and her eyes went to the other occupied bed.

“That man… was he also under Quan Chi’s…?”

Raiden nodded. “He was restored as well.”

“Will you call his family to pick him up?”

Raiden’s expression changed momentarily to something Harumi didn’t recognize. “Sub-Zero has no living family. He will remain here, for now. The Special Forces may find a room for him in one of their hospitals.”

Harumi almost asked, what about the Lin Kuei? Then she remembered the stories about the current status of the clan, and guessed they wouldn’t care for a fallen warrior. Sub-Zero, the Sub-Zero that appeared sometimes in Hanzo’s stories, had an older brother, who was the Sub-Zero Hanzo always avoided speaking of. The one he killed at the tournament. Harumi saw guilt in Hanzo’s eyes whenever talking of either Sub-Zero. He might have been the reason the younger Sub-Zero had no living family to care for him.

“My house is big,” Harumi said.

“Are you sure of what you are proposing, Mrs. Hasashi?”

“Yes. He can stay with us as well.”

“Do you even know who this man is?”

A Lin Kuei, his clan a long time rival of the Shirai Ryu, even suspected of playing a part in the massacre. Sub-Zero, the younger brother of the man Hanzo believed to have led the attack. A man that was left behind after Hanzo killed his brother in his quest for revenge. A man who wanted revenge against Hanzo. His rival. Someone Hanzo had never intended to hurt.

“I don’t know his real name, but I know that he is a warrior of honor that fought for Earthrealm. That’s all I need to know. And I know that his relationship with Hanzo is not the best, but I believe Hanzo wishes him no harm. In fact, if he was awake to make this choice himself, he would propose the same.”

Raiden stared at her for a long moment. It was uncomfortable, being stared at by those glowing eyes. It was like he could see deep inside of her.

“Very well.”

Not long after, Harumi sat on her bed, watching Hanzo’s chest slowly rising and falling. She had feared she would never see him again, but now he was here, alive, and for once, peaceful.

Soft footsteps reached her room.

“Mom?” Satoshi quietly called, eyes going from his mother to the man sleeping on her side.

“Yes? Did you have a nightmare?”

“I heard a noise… who is that?”

“This is your father.” Harumi smiled.

“He’s… back?” It was hard to say how Satoshi was feeling about it.

He had been very sad when Hanzo stopped visiting. As the years passed, Harumi tried to tell him more about what happened, as well as about the place where she grew up and the people he would never get to meet. She had always wanted to tell him everything, but she had been worried about hurting him. But then the Netherrealm War came, and it was pointless to try and protect him from certain truths when they were all in front of him.

“Do you remember when he used to visit?” Harumi softly asked. “It was so long ago…”

Satoshi nodded. “Is he alright?”

“He will be.”

Satoshi climbed on the bed, settling on Harumi’s side and watching Hanzo curiously.

“He doesn’t look dead.” He whispered.

“He’s not anymore,” Harumi whispered back.

“How is this possible?”

“I don’t know,” Harumi said truthfully.

“Does this mean he is on Earthrealm’s side now?” Satoshi asked hopefully.

“Well, I think he actually won’t be able to fight for a while.”

Satoshi nodded. “Good. That means he will stay, right?”

“I think so.”

Neither of them slept any more that night, in truth they weren’t even trying. Both wanted to see it when Hanzo woke up. There was so much to say, so many questions to ask.

The sun eventually came up, making Harumi reluctantly get up to make breakfast. Satoshi had classes and she didn’t want him to miss them. The boy wasn’t happy about it, but he dutifully obeyed.

Harumi checked on her guest, also still unconscious, before returning to Hanzo’s side.

It took him a couple more hours to open his eyes.

The first thing he saw was Harumi smiling.

“Ha… rumi. Is this a dream?” He asked in a weak voice.

“No.” Harumi softly answered.

“Is this… heaven?”

“No, my love. It’s Earthrealm. You’re in my house.”

His eyes scanned the room. “You changed the curtains.”

“I’ve moved from the place you last visited. We have a lot more space here.” Harumi sighed. “I didn’t want to, at first. I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. But…”

Hanzo took her hand, frowning.

“I’m glad you moved on.”

“Don’t be silly, I never did.” She squeezed his hand, but regretted it as he frowned again. “Are you alright?”

“No. It hurts…”

“Where?”

“Everywhere.”

Harumi nodded. “Lord Raiden said you may feel this way.”

“You met that fool?”

“He was the one that brought me to you. He restored you.”

“Restored?” He closed his eyes, lips slightly curling up. “This explains it.”

“Do you feel any different?”

“I feel… pain. Lots of pain. It has been a while.”

Despite his words, he smiled.

“Welcome back.”

As if on cue, something fell on the next room. Harumi guessed her guest was up.

“Just a moment.” She said, before going to check on him.

Sub-Zero was on the floor, probably having slipped on the thin layer of ice covering it on a radius of two meters around him. He was mumbling in a language Harumi didn’t understand, but his tone and expression made it clear he was cursing.

Harumi stepped carefully on the ice to offer him a hand.

“Are you alright? Here, let me help you.”

“Who are you?” He asked with a bit of an accent, glaring at her. “Where am I?”

“My name is Harumi, and you shouldn’t be making this sort of effort in your condition.” She pointed to the ice.

He kept glaring, refusing to take her hand.

“Do you remember anything?” He didn’t answer, but his expression changed to a mix of pain and horror, which certainly meant he did. “You were under Quan Chi’s control, but Lord Raiden restored you. Your body still needs some time to fully recover, that’s why you’re here.”

Sub-Zero silently sighed, but finally accepted her hand. Harumi helped him back to the bed.

“Thank you, Harumi.”

“What the hell-?”

Harumi turned around to see Hanzo standing behind her. That stubborn husband of hers had just admitted to being in a lot of pain, and yet he followed her to see what was going on.

“What is he doing here?” Hanzo’s tone could have scared her if she hadn’t known him almost her whole life. Harumi knew he was very loud when he was angry, as well as when he was confused, upset… or anything other than comfortable, really.

So she knew he wasn’t necessarily mad at the situation. Or at her.

“He was restored alongside you. Lord Raiden told me he had no family to care for him as he recovered, so I offered to do it.”

And now she asked herself why really had she done it, as both men looked at her in disbelief. But she looked at Hanzo, and he lightly nodded in approval.

“Excuse me,” Sub-Zero asked, “but you are…?”

“She’s my wife,” Hanzo said, and Harumi felt his arm around her waist.

Even more confusion filled Sub-Zero’s face, as he inevitably concluded. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“You are not leaving this bed so soon,” Harumi said, firm. “And you,” she turned to her husband, “are going back to your bed. You are both getting the rest you need. When your bodies are fully recovered, then you can go and settle your differences in kombat or whatever you decide is best.”

“I don’t have anything left to settle with _him_.” Hanzo said, in a way that made it sound like a bad thing. “Despite him being a Lin Kuei.”

Sub-Zero glared at him.

“You-” He started, voice full of venom, but then he paused, and his expression calmed. “You were under Quan Chi’s control all this time.”

“Yes?” Hanzo raised an eyebrow.

“It was him who made you kill Bi-Han, wasn’t it?”

Hanzo lowered his eyes, and sighed.

“Killing him was my only goal when I went to the tournament, but Raiden convinced me to spare his life. I fully intended on doing so, but just remembering what he did-”

Harumi put her hand over his on her hip, trying to comfort him. It was still hard for her too to remember that day.

“Did he really?” Sub-Zero gestured in Harumi’s direction. “Or did you get a new deal with Raiden?”

“I didn’t die.” Harumi clarified, the sentence sounding odd to her own ears. “I managed to escape with my child, but the Shirai Ryu was attacked that day, and whoever was behind it, they really wanted us all gone.”

“Did you see who it was?”

“No.” Harumi shook her head. “But the ones who attacked, they didn’t feel human.”

Sub-Zero gave a sharp look to Hanzo, who returned it.

“You and your brother aren’t exactly human either.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Sub-Zero said after a deep breath. “It doesn’t matter if he did it or not. You were under Quan Chi’s control, and he wanted Bi-Han dead for his own sinister purposes. I can’t blame you for what you did. Not now that I know what it’s like.”

Hanzo seemed surprised by that turn of events.

“One day I will clear his name. But I don’t have anything to settle in kombat with you.”

“Right,” Hanzo said, a little awkward. “You better do everything Harumi tells you. And stop whatever you’re doing, this room is freezing!”

“You too better do everything Harumi tells you too,” Harumi said, grabbing his arm to guide him back to their room. She turned back to Sub-Zero. “If you need anything, just call me. I will be right back with breakfast.”

“Thank you.” He bowed slightly.

* * *

“Was that your idea?” Hanzo asked as Harumi settled on the bed by his side. She wanted nothing more than to hold him close, but refrained from it in fear it would worsen his pain.

“Yes.” Her hands suddenly seemed the most interesting thing in the room. “I thought it was what you would have done.”

Hanzo stared at her for a moment, and sighed. “It is what I would have done.”

Harumi moved a little closer to him, softly resting her head on his shoulder. “You haven’t changed much in all these years, after all. I still can’t believe I have you back.”

“I can’t either,” Hanzo said, wrapping an arm around her. “But I am here. I won’t leave you again.”

Harumi just hummed, sleep finally catching up to her. Part of her wanted to stay awake, afraid Hanzo would be gone again when she woke up, but tiredness won.

The rest of the morning was calm, and so was the afternoon. There was so much Harumi wanted to tell, but she ended up talking only about small things, like her job or how Satoshi was doing in school, or how training outdoors every morning made her feel almost as if she was back home.

Hanzo didn’t tell anything about his time away, but from the way he looked at her, Harumi guessed he just wanted to keep hearing her voice. He asked about the home appliances and the pictures hanging on the wall. The time he had for his visits before was so little, Harumi realized, that he never asked about the details. This house was so different from the home they had together so long ago, it was like a whole new life.

The future she had seen for herself was completely changed now that he was here. He wasn’t the only one who was born again.

* * *

Satoshi was panting when he arrived home, as if he had run the whole way from school. Before Harumi could ask him what happened, he ran past her towards her room. Her frown turned into a smile as she understood it, and walked to the door to watch the encounter.

“Father?” He asked, his voice quieter than it usually was. He looked small, insecure as he looked at Hanzo, who was still forbidden to leave the bed. “Do you remember me?”

“Satoshi.” Hanzo smiled. “You grew so much.”

A relieved smile took over his face as he jumped into his father’s arms.

Harumi felt her eyes getting teary. Her family was whole again, and she would fight anyone, man, demon, or god, to keep it this way. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are wondering why Hanzo would have wanted to help Kuai Liang, well, first of all Hanzo had nothing against Kuai Liang in first place, it was Kuai who hated him for killing his brother. Then Kuai is cyberized and killed without giving major reasons for Hanzo to hate him. In the first timeline, when Hanzo found out the new Sub-Zero was the younger brother of the Sub-Zero he killed, he decides to protect him to atone for what he did. In this timeline (the fic’s) he is moved by a similar feeling, and so is Harumi. Both of them received the same education and share the same values, after all.


	3. The Guest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the first few revenants being restored, Harumi makes it her duty to take care of her husband as he recovers - and also of someone else, a man who has no family left alive.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some assumptions here too but you will see them when you get there.

Things were going well in the Hasashi household. Hanzo’s recovery was slow, but he was making progress. Harumi had gotten some time off her work, though she doubted she was ever going back. She and Hanzo hadn’t talked much about the future, but she had a hard time imagining him adapting to the city life. He was not a man for the modern world. And while Harumi had been doing well herself, she would also much rather have her old life back.

Sub-Zero was also making progress, and was maybe the one who was the most restless during this recovery time. He still had a clan to save, his best friend was still in the Netherrealm, and he had still some cyborg ass to kick. It was awkward to be in the house of someone who had been his enemy until what felt like a week ago, with the family he had accused _his_ family of murdering. It was uncomfortable resting while so much shit was still going on. And on top, he couldn’t help but feel like a third wheel between the reunited lovers, the reunited family.

But Harumi wouldn’t listen to any of his reasoning and insisted he stayed until he recovered. And the constant pain he felt on his body made it hard to even plan on disobeying.

In fact, he only dared to stand from his bed when Harumi was away or sleeping, and never made it much farther than the corridor. This particular day she was doing groceries and he happened to not be the only one with the idea.

He stopped at the door of his room when he saw Scorpion with his back against a wall, unmasked and dressed in civilian clothes. Sub-Zero had to blink, not recognizing the man at first.

“Hey.” Scorpion greeted, casually.

“Hey…” Sub-Zero tried to match his tone and not sound as disturbed as he was. Though he guessed he made for an equally disturbing image, dressed in the pajamas Harumi bought him.

“Harumi is going to kill you if she finds out what you’re doing.” He said, but his light tone indicated he didn’t really mean she would literally murder Sub-Zero.

(At this point, it would have sounded much more familiar and comfortable if he had meant it literally. Sub-Zero would be in his comfort zone if Harumi wanted to kill him; he was completely out of place with her doing the opposite.)

“Does she know what _you_ are doing?” He asked, because he was sure she wouldn’t be happy about her husband doing all this effort either.

“I won’t tell if you won’t tell.” Scorpion suggested.

“Sounds fair.”

The silence stretched between them after that. It’s not that they had a lot to talk about. It had been the same when they had to spend time together in the Netherrealm, just silence, except back then there were also glares and occasional arguments that could have escalated into bloody fights had it not been for Quan Chi’s spells.

It was strange to think they were now at peace, but it wasn’t as if they were friends, so again there was silence, but now without them even looking at each other.

Sub-Zero eventually let his mind drift off to all the things he planned on doing when he healed, and his chest ached with anxiety at how it could still take months until he was able to do them. Eventually, his own weight felt too much and his legs trembled.

“You should be in bed.” Scorpion said.

He wanted to argue but going back sounded like a good idea. Before he could say anything else, Scorpion was at his side, helping him stand to make his way back.

“You’re cold.” Sub-Zero could hardly believe these words were meant seriously, but it would be unlike Scorpion to be playful with him, and his tone sounded truly concerned.

“It’s my temperature.” He simply said.

“You should see a doctor.”

“Sure, a doctor would know just what to do in a case like mine.” He rolled his eyes.

There was a hint of a smile on Scorpion’s face as he helped him lay down on the bed. It felt sincere, so Sub-Zero let himself be sincere as well.

“You’re a lucky man.” He said in a soft tone. “I never had anything like this.”

“Like what?”

“A family,” Sub-Zero confessed.

Of course, it would be unfair to forget all his brother had done for him and all the moments they had together, but it had never been like what he witnessed in this house. There were never loud laughs and hugs and kisses and words of encouragement. There was never this open affection. Truth was that maybe what made him the most uncomfortable in there was that no one had ever asked him how he felt so often as Harumi did in this little time they had known each other.

He just didn’t know how to deal with it.

“Lin Kuei.” Scorpion half growled. “And you still defend them.”

“I know it sounds bad, but there’s worth in it…” Sub-Zero tiredly replied. “They raised me to be strong.”

“You don’t have to suffer to be strong.” Before Sub-Zero could reply, he added. “I should go before Harumi arrives.”

* * *

In the months since his father came back, Satoshi had spent a lot of time with him. Hanzo was still sick and couldn’t play with him, but they would sit together in bed and talk for hours. Satoshi loved hearing his stories.

The boy had been vaguely aware of the guest staying with them. He rarely saw him, as he was also sick and rarely left the room, but he knew bits about him from what he heard from his parents.

Today, he was decided to finally meet this stranger.

Satoshi politely knocked on the open door before entering. “Hi? Mr. Zero?”

The man in question raised his head. “You’re… Satoshi, right?”

Satoshi shyly nodded. “I wanted to ask… if you need anything.” He wanted to ask many things and this was not one of them, but it was what his mouth said.

“I’m alright.” The man replied. “And you can call me Kuai Liang.”

“Kuai Liang?”

“It’s my name.” He explained.

Satoshi felt a little silly for having believed his actual name was “Sub-Zero”, so he decided to pretend that didn’t happen. Instead, he moved to the real questions.

“I heard you have ice powers.”

“It’s true.” Kuai Liang nodded.

“Can you show me?”

The man seemed to give it some thought before signaling for Satoshi to come closer. He positioned his hands with the palms facing each other, many inches apart. A soft blue glow seemed to come from under the skin of his arms as he focused, and a particle between his hands started to freeze, forming a snowflake shape. It kept growing and growing, bigger than any snowflake Satoshi had ever seen.

“Woah.” His eyes were glowing at the display. “So cool!”

Kuai Liang’s lips curled up as he moved his hands, his creation falling to his lap and quickly melting. Any tension that could still be left by now was gone.

“You fight too, right? I heard my parents saying you went to Mortal Kombat.” Satoshi said, his excitement visible.

“Yes, but I didn’t stay for long.” Kuai Liang said. “I only fought one match. Against your father, by the way.”

“And he won?” Satoshi half asked. Of course his father had won, he was very powerful.

“I won, actually.” Kuai Liang said, sounding a little too proud of himself. “But I had to leave soon after.”

Satoshi was quiet for a moment. “Well, father went to Mortal Kombat twice, so he’s still the best.”

Kuai Liang once again smiled at him, a little more openly this time.

“He is the best ninja ever!” Satoshi continued. “When I grow up I want to be a ninja too. Like Father, and Mom, and you!”

Kuai Liang frowned. “I’m not a ninja.”

Satoshi raised an eyebrow. He had seen the clothes the man wore when he arrived, and heard about his fighting. “You’re still cool.” He shrugged.

“Thank you. I am sure you will be a great warrior one day.”

* * *

Months passed until both restored warriors became well enough to walk short distances. Harumi didn’t want them to leave the house, but they could walk inside as much as they desired.

Kuai Liang was still restless but truth be told, he still couldn’t get very far without his muscles aching. He mostly went from his room to the living room or the kitchen, and then back. He spent most of his time with Satoshi in front of the TV, the electronic providing him some needed distraction. Satoshi could get particularly excited when watching a show he liked, and it was always lovely to see.

Kuai Liang had never spent much time around children before, even when he was a child he was used to being the youngest one around. By spending time with Satoshi he was realizing that he liked them.

This afternoon, Hanzo was sitting with them on the couch, but his eyes weren’t on the TV.

“Did I do something, Hanzo?” Kuai Liang asked.

He wasn’t sure of when they got on a first name basis, but he liked it. It made it easier to pretend that all they went through since they first met in the tournament belonged to another life, was between other people and not them.

He noticed Hanzo was staring at him for a long time now, hence the question.

Hanzo shook his head slightly. “No, no. Sorry.” He said, turning his face to the TV but it was obvious to both he wasn’t paying attention.

It had been happening often these days, despite Hanzo’s attempts at stopping. Harumi had bought a new set of clothes for them in celebration of their progress. They were much more dignified than the pajamas they wore so far (to be fair, the pajamas were very comfortable and convenient for that period), but very modern, tight and open in unpractical places. The shirt Kuai Liang wore now had a low neckline, exposing his collarbones.

It didn’t look bad. Hanzo liked seeing Kuai Liang in those clothes, it made the burden the younger man carried seem somehow lighter. Something about how he didn’t look ready for kombat. It was nice.

Hanzo wondered if Harumi felt the same when she saw him dressed in that way.

“What are you doing, when you are fully recovered?” He asked, voice low as to not catch Satoshi’s attention.

“I’m going back to the Lin Kuei.” Kuai Liang said.

“Didn’t they turn you into a cyborg against your will or something?”

“Yes. Someone has to stop the Cyber Initiative.”

“Are you always like this? Always taking matters in your own hands?”

“Who are you to criticize me?” Kuai Liang crossed his arms, but his tone was relatively peaceful. “Didn’t you do everything you could, fought against all the odds, to do what you believed would set things right?”

Hanzo half-smiled. “It’s different. The things you want to set right are much bigger.”

“It’s not. The Lin Kuei is my family.”

Hanzo didn’t insist, but he would argue it was. Kuai Liang didn’t express it very openly, maybe he didn’t even realize it, but something inside of him seemed to want to fix the world or die trying. He wouldn’t be surprised if as soon as he got done with the Lin Kuei matters he would be offering his aid to the Special Forces or something.

“What about you? What are your plans?”

Hanzo hesitated to answer. He and Harumi didn’t talk about the future. They were busy cherishing the present, which was a real gift they thought they wouldn’t get. Harumi and Satoshi had built a life in this city. Hanzo had spent all his life, his actual life, in the Shirai Ryu village, and while they had access to the outside world, everything was done following tradition. This was their way, this was Hanzo’s way. Of course he was willing to try something different for his family, but it made him anxious.

Part of him actually wanted to rebuild the Shirai Ryu. He wondered what Harumi would think of the idea. And of course, there was Satoshi. Could he drag his son into this bloody, dangerous world?

Could he just retire from fighting forever? Would the evil forces that dragged him to hell leave him alone?

“I will be there for them. For everything they need.”

* * *

Harumi knew this day was inevitable, but it came sooner than she had hoped. With a sigh, she sat down by the back door, the first aid kit in her hands.

Satoshi was excited. He never made it a secret that he wished to see his father fighting, and this was his first chance. He sat beside her.

Both Hanzo and Kuai Liang had assured Harumi at least a dozen times that they felt well enough for it, but she still asked them to take it easy. She hoped they would remember it.

“Also, please don’t do anything that will make the neighbors call the police.”

Hanzo smirked at her. Harumi sighed. “Just… don’t kill each other.”

“Don’t worry, Harumi.” Kuai Liang said. “This is just friendly sparring.”

“Kick his butt, Dad!” Satoshi shouted.

Kuai Liang made an exaggerated offended expression, which soon turned into laughter. Harumi was happy that he got along well with her son. Overall, Kuai Liang was a pleasant surprise. He was polite and considerate, and very respectful. Since he got back on his feet he always helped around the house, even if Harumi insisted he didn’t need to. He was very friendly to Satoshi from the start and was so patient and kind that it was hard to believe he was not used to being around kids.

The two men bowed to each other and got into position. The space in the backyard was not ideal but it could do. Harumi gripped the first aid kit nervously. After the mental countdown of three, they started.

They were taking it easy at first, just regular punches and kicks and well-placed blocks. Satoshi cheered. Harumi was still not at ease, because Hanzo had insisted on wearing his full uniform, weapons and all. She doubted the fight would stay like that for long.

The first one to escalate it, however, was Kuai Liang, as he threw a blade made of ice. It hit Hanzo’s shoulder, and he fell to the ground, bleeding.

Satoshi held his mother’s arm. “Make them stop, he’s hurt.” He said in a trembling voice.

Harumi wrapped one arm around him, trying to calm him down. “He’ll be fine, he’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”

Instead of pulling the blade out, Hanzo shattered it with his bare hand, before standing up. He threw his spear, and Kuai Liang was too slow to block it.

(Harumi had always found that move to be really hot for some reason. At that moment, she felt young again, she felt like a teenager hoping no one would notice that she watched a little too intensely when Hanzo was practicing.)

She was brought back to the present by a cracking sound. She wasn’t sure who made it, but now both men rolled on the ground. When they stopped, Hanzo was on top of Kuai Liang, and for a moment the two just stared at each other, breaths heavy. They were both dirty, slightly bloody, and at least Hanzo was sweaty. For that moment, their bodies were mostly relaxed, but they were still focused on each other, as if only waiting for a wrong move.

The moment passed, but something had changed. Their moves became desperate, messy. It was like they both wanted so badly to just win it quickly, refusing to admit they were near their limits. As if they wanted to prove something. What they were accomplishing was just getting hurt.

“Alright, that’s enough!” Harumi didn’t shout, but she had to be loud to be heard and firm to be listened to.

Hanzo quickly backed off from Kuai Liang. He wasn’t one to break his promises. Kuai Liang remained where he was, but made no move to continue the fight either.

Harumi approached her husband to check on his body. He would get bruises but nothing seemed out of place or broken, and the stabbing wound was fully healed.

“Huh? I thought…?” Satoshi looked at that same spot, where the stabbing wound was, confused. He had seen the blood, it was still clinging to Hanzo’s torn clothes and skin, but the skin itself was undamaged.

“It’s kombat, with a k,” Harumi explained. “It’s a sacred form of combat. Those who engage in it get enhanced healing abilities during the match.”

“So you are indestructible, just like a superhero?” Satoshi asked his father, but turned to Kuai Liang to show he was included too.

Hanzo winced at the choice of words, but didn’t say anything.

“We’re still mortals.” Kuai Liang said. “The enhanced healing only lasts during the match, and it doesn’t mean all our wounds are healed. We are just able to endure more damage in kombat than in any other situation.”

Harumi walked to Kuai Liang, to check on his body as well. He was a little colder than usual, but she had no idea of what that meant for him. Other than that, everything was in place and he had only some bruises.

“How do you learn kombat?” Satoshi asked.

“Your father learned back at the Shirai Ryu,” Harumi said. “I took some lessons back then too but… well, between the pregnancy and having to leave, I never finished them. Kuai Liang probably learned from his clan?” She turned to the man in question, who nodded.

“Is it hard?”

“It is,” Hanzo said. “First you have to master at least one martial art of your choice. Weapons, powers, those are optional but come in handy in real kombat. But the most important thing to learn is how to deal with the healing. Know its speed, its depth, how to deal with the lingering pain.”

“Are you in pain?”

Hanzo didn’t like lying to Satoshi, and the look he gave Harumi showed her she wouldn’t like the answer.

“A lot,” Hanzo said. “But it’s alright.”

“Now that you kids have played, sit down here while I go get some ice.”

Kuai Liang raised his hand. “I can help with this.”

“I have a feeling you shouldn’t be using your powers right now,” Harumi said.

“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt to do this.” With those words, he offered a handful of large ice cubes.

With a sigh, Harumi accepted them, and used some pieces of cloth from the first aid kit to make small bags that the men could press to their bruises.

Hanzo quickly removed the clothes from his upper body to show his wife where it hurt. Harumi let herself admire his body. After all this time of resting and recovering, his muscles weren’t at their peak, but Hanzo didn’t need that to be very attractive to her. There wasn’t anything very serious, so she just gave him some bags and a peck on the lips.

Next, she moved to Kuai Liang, feeling Hanzo’s stare behind her back. Kuai Liang hesitated before taking off his clothes. Harumi wondered if Hanzo was jealous, and that was why he was starting. How silly, Hanzo knew Harumi always took the role of nurse to her friends when they needed it, and Kuai Liang was her friend. And said role required removal of clothes sometimes.

Sighing, she focused her attention on Kuai Liang. She would ask Hanzo about this later, if he felt jealous and why. Communication was the key to a good relationship.

As with Hanzo, Kuai Liang’s muscles were clearly not at their peak, but he still had a large, strong body. The skin on his torso was pale, even more than on his face and limbs. Harumi guessed all the time he was spending indoors didn’t help. She should suggest the men took some walks together outdoors. The fresh air would do them well. He also didn’t have any major injuries, so Harumi gave him the rest of the ice bags.

The weight of Hanzo’s stare was starting to bother her. She turned around, ready to comment on it, but she soon closed her mouth.

She had misunderstood it completely. It wasn’t at her that Hanzo was staring, it was at Kuai Liang. And it wasn’t in anger or jealousy.

Hanzo didn’t seem surprised at what he was seeing. Certainly he had seen the other man semi undressed (maybe fully undressed?) before, which wasn’t surprising considering their history. Ninjas saw other ninjas in many stages of undress often, part of the job. Hanzo wasn’t surprised but he certainly wasn’t considering the view to be ordinary. Was he checking Kuai Liang out? Admiring his body?

Harumi bit her lips, feeling like a kid who just discovered a secret. Part of her wanted to shout it and let everyone know what she realized, but she knew that would do no good to anyone involved. But she needed to talk to Hanzo about it as soon as possible.

* * *

Harumi couldn’t regret letting the fight happen when for the rest of the day everyone was in a much better mood than they had been in a long time. It didn’t stop her from fussing about Hanzo and Kuai Liang the whole time, though.

She couldn’t help but pay attention to how the two men interacted, after what she saw earlier. She missed the moment when the tension, that had been present at first despite their claims of having nothing to settle with each other, disappeared completely. They talked like old friends, shared smiles and inside jokes about people Harumi hadn’t had the chance to meet yet. And they looked at each other a lot when the other wasn’t looking.

Harumi decided to talk to Hanzo when they were alone in their room, getting ready to bed.

“Kuai Liang is a nice man, right?” She said.

“He’s alright,” Hanzo said. “He has morals despite being a Lin Kuei.”

Harumi rolled her eyes. Most times she forgot his affiliation. Kuai Liang was just nothing like the mental image she had of a Lin Kuei, so it wasn’t hard. She understood why it wasn’t like this for her husband, though.

“He is getting along well with Satoshi, too.” She continued. “I think we will miss him when he leaves.”

She saw a frown starting to form in Hanzo’s face before he shrugged.

“It’s not like he’s going to get himself killed again when he does. He’s tougher than he looks.”

An amused smile appeared on Harumi’s face.

“I don’t know who you’re trying to fool, love. I know you care.” Hanzo smiled back at her, looking a little embarrassed. “Kuai Liang is also very handsome, isn’t he?”

Harumi studied Hanzo as he replied, the faint blushing on his skin, the head turning to the side, the shrug. “I guess, if that’s one’s type.”

“Is he not yours? I saw you checking him out while I examined his body earlier.” Harumi teased.

“I was just trying to see if he was hurt.” Hanzo lied. He was an awful liar and could never fool Harumi.

“It wasn’t what it looked like from my angle,” Harumi said.

“And what does it look like from your angle?” Hanzo asked.

The atmosphere was light and playful, and Harumi didn’t want to ruin it with her answer. But they needed to have this talk.

“It looks like you’re attracted to him.”

Hanzo wisely chose to shut his lips, no attempts at lies or excuses. His silence was a confirmation for Harumi.

“Please, I don’t want this to sound like an accusation,” Harumi said, missing the atmosphere from moments ago. “These things happen. I just want to know if that’s really the case because I love you very much. I want you to be happy, Hanzo.”

Hanzo remained quiet, but he seemed deep in thought.

“I love you so much, Hanzo,” Harumi said, mostly just to occupy her mind while her husband figured out what he would say. She didn’t expect him to pay much attention to her words. “We’re not each other’s first. I know you have had boyfriends before. You know I have been in polyamorous relationships before. We even knew all of our exes.” She smiled, remembering people long gone. Only the two of them remained.

“I like Kuai Liang. A lot.” Hanzo finally confessed.

“Would you like to start something with him?”

“I… I don’t know. Would it be alright if I did?”

“Of course! After all you went through, I want you to have all the happiness you can have. And I think Kuai Liang can make you very happy.”

Hanzo smiled, but his tone remained serious. “I would never do anything that would hurt you, my love. Just tell me and I will end all of this.”

Harumi grabbed his hand. “I wouldn’t have said any of this if I wasn’t sure I mean it. As long as we’re honest with each other, I am sure we can handle any issue that comes.”

To seal her promise, she kissed Hanzo, softly and gently.

“So… for how long have you been liking him?”

* * *

After the conversation with Harumi, Hanzo felt much more at ease with himself. He had been feeling something towards Kuai Liang for a while, but never thought too much about it. He had chosen to ignore it, to not even name it, in hopes that it would vanish on its own without anyone noticing it had even existed.

Now that his mind was clearer he could truly enjoy his time with Kuai Liang without trying to repress anything, and he realized he wanted to make a move before the other man left. Even if he didn’t feel the same way, at least Hanzo would be at peace knowing he tried.

The two men were sitting in the backyard, and when the silence stretched for too long, Hanzo decided to take the first step.

“You look good in these clothes.”

It was certainly not the best first step Hanzo ever took, but in his defense, it had been a long time since he last tried to flirt.

Kuai Liang looked down at himself. He was wearing simple clothes, just a t-shirt and jeans. “Huh? Oh, Harumi chose these. She has good taste.”

It was probably not intentional but there was an implication there that made Hanzo’s insides feel funny. He had to keep going while the mood was helping him.

“Your thick legs look particularly good in these pants.” Hanzo cringed inwardly at his own words. _Thick legs, really?_

Kuai Liang chuckled. “If I didn’t know better, I would think you are trying to flirt with me.”

“Actually I am,” Hanzo said bluntly. “Trying” being the keyword.

There was confusion in Kuai Liang’s face. “You are married.”

“Yes. Harumi knows about this, and she…” How to word it? “Enthusiastically supports it.”

It took a moment for understanding to show in Kuai Liang’s expression, but when it did it became very hard to read him. Hanzo worried he went too far.

“I will stop if you want me to.” He was quick to add. “We can forget this happened.” The last thing Hanzo wanted was for Kuai Liang to leave before he was fully recovered just because of how he was acting.

“If Harumi is alright with this…” Kuai Liang said, slowly, carefully. “Then I don’t see why you would have to stop.”

It was Hanzo’s turn to need a moment to fully process what he was hearing. “Do you mean it?”

Kuai Liang’s hand found his. Instead of answering, he said. “I am an awful guest, right?”

“No,” Hanzo replied, holding Kuai Liang’s hand in his. “I am really glad you are here. We all are.”

Kuai Liang showed an empty smile.

“I mean it.” Hanzo insisted. “Even after we’re fully healed, and you go back to solve the problems in your clan, you will always be welcome here. You can always count on me and Harumi if you ever need us.”

Kuai Liang lightly squeezed Hanzo’s hand, his expression softening. “And you can always count on me too. I will never forget everything you are doing for me.”

Hanzo smiled softly. “When you said you don’t see why it would have to stop, did you mean…. would you like to be my… my something?” His cheeks were on fire (thankfully, not literally) as he stumbled with his words. He didn’t remember it being so hard back when he started courting Harumi.

“I would like to be your ‘something’.” Kuai Liang said, and despite the teasing, he sounded serious about it. It only made Hanzo’s heart beat faster. “I never thought that my feelings would be returned or, well, ‘enthusiastically supported’.”

Hanzo’s brain stopped working. “You mean…?”

“I love you, Hanzo Hasashi.” Kuai Liang said. Between the fast beatings of his heart and the rush of feelings of affection and shyness, Hanzo noted that the younger man was much braver than he was, being able to confess so easily.

When Hanzo didn’t answer immediately, that bravery seemed to fade. “I mean… this is what you meant, right? You also…”

“Yes.” Hanzo quickly said, to get rid of the other man’s insecurity. “I love you, Kuai Liang. And while I can’t ask you to stay _here_ with me forever, I want us to be _together_.”

Hanzo realized as he spoke just how true his words were, and how deep his feelings for Kuai Liang had actually become.

Tentatively, Kuai Liang rested his head on Hanzo’s shoulder. “I don’t want to involve you in my problems with the Lin Kuei, but once it’s dealt with… maybe we won’t be able to live together like we are right now, but I want to keep seeing you. And of course, Harumi and Satoshi too. I want you to be a part of my life.”

“We will be,” Hanzo confirmed. “Kuai Liang… can I kiss you?”

“I was afraid you weren’t going to ask.”

The two men positioned themselves, still a little hesitant. Kuai Liang couldn’t remember the last time he had kissed, and Hanzo couldn’t remember the last time he had kissed someone who wasn’t Harumi. Both of them wanted it to be perfect. And when their lips finally touched in a sweet, chaste kiss, it was.

Harumi had just arrived home and was looking for the men when she saw them from the open back door. Instead of calling them, she preferred to remain quiet and turn around, letting them have this moment. She had no doubts from the start that Kuai Liang also felt something for Hanzo so it was only a matter of time until one of them confessed. She decided to prepare a special meal in celebration of Kuai Liang finally joining their family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some things change from here on in the timeline, while also staying the same. Kuai Liang goes back to China to take over the Lin Kuei, Hanzo and Harumi rebuild the Shirai Ryu together and eventually take in Takeda, etc. There is a chance that Hanzo does not kill Quan Chi because he gets to feel some more positive things than he does in canon and so isn’t angry all the time, so we would have more revenants being restored. I like this possibility a lot, but it would end up making the next chapter useless. Well, nothing says I can’t have diverging timelines in my fic too!


	4. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scorpion finds out why his future self made the choices he made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MK11 spoilers from here on (idk if we should still warn for them at this point but I would rather not take the risk)
> 
> What I had planned for this fic ended in the previous chapter, but as I was writing it I thought of this and I had to add it.

Scorpion took a moment to assess his wounds, as his foe laid down on the ground. While he had clearly won this fight, his foe had managed to do him some damage, and if he were still alive this could have been a problem.

He looked down at the kid groaning in pain. The mere sight of him disgusted Scorpion, the way he dressed the Shirai Ryu colors when he hadn’t even been alive long enough to have seen the real Shirai Ryu. He couldn’t imagine what his future self was thinking. How heartbroken did he have to be to support this fraud? And the fact that he sent a kid, alone, to deal with him… pathetic.

Scorpion walked towards him, katana in hand. Time to finish this.

“I’m going to end this false Shirai Ryu, starting with you.”

“Don’t!” The young man shouted, trembling arms raising to uselessly shield himself. “This is not you. I know you!”

“You know what I could become.” Scorpion growled. “He got soft. Made mistakes. I won’t go down the same path.”

“I know you wouldn’t hurt your own son!”

Flames rose from Scorpion’s arms at the mention of his son. What right did this kid have to bring him up?

“My son is dead!”

The kid shook his head. “No, he’s not.” At that, he removed his mask.

Scorpion stared down at him, frowning. For a moment he almost thought that Kronika had brought to this timeline yet another version of himself, for the kid looked just like him when he was younger.

But this couldn’t be! Satoshi was dead! He had seen it!

“I am not dead.” The kid insisted. “Quan Chi lied to you. He was the one who attacked the Shirai Ryu, not the Lin Kuei. To control you.”

That story would explain why his future self would ally with the Lin Kuei, but it still made no sense! Quan Chi was powerful enough, why would he need this? Was it his own fault that the whole clan was dead? Did he kill an innocent man?

“Mother-”

“Don’t!”

“Mother managed to escape with me. She saved us.” The kid continued, ignoring his protests. “You found us, not long from now. If Kronika hadn’t brought you to this time, you would soon have met us again.”

Scorpion put his sword back in place, and almost roughly pulled the kid up.

“Can you prove what you are saying?”

He nodded. “Let’s go home.”

Scorpion held his wrist as fire surrounded them, teleporting them to the only home he knew.

He let the kid go the moment they arrived, as he looked around in awe. Scorpion never thought he would see the Fire Gardens in their full glory again, the images of ruins and destruction still fresh in his memory. His future self had really rebuilt the Shirai Ryu, at least on the outside.

“Satoshi!” A female voice called in worry and relief.

Scorpion heard the boy limping towards the new arrival, and her walking to meet him halfway, but he took a few moments to look in her direction. It was fear and shame and disbelief, but nothing really mattered at that point, because he would recognize her voice anywhere.

“Harumi.” He called, weakly.

She was dressed for battle, all weapons sharp, and she looked at him with a rage that made him want to step back. She looked as beautiful as he remembered from the last time he saw her, but her face looked older, showing the decades that passed. This wasn’t an illusion. She was here, she was alive, and she had been alive a long time. The boy had told him the truth.

“Scorpion. I hope it’s not you who hurt my son.”

The coldness in her voice hurt, but he wouldn’t have expected anything else. He had hurt her son. Their son. He had been about to… gods, he was such a fool!

He had let Quan Chi manipulate him, and he had let Kronika manipulate him. He had almost destroyed his family.

“I’m sorry.” He said, taking a few slow steps towards them. He knew it wouldn’t be welcome, but he just wanted to touch Harumi, to feel she was really there. If he couldn’t, he at least wanted to see her closer. “It’s really you.”

“It’s really me.” Her face changed into something he couldn’t read.

Scorpion just stood there, waiting for her judgment. He heard Satoshi whisper “he didn’t know” to his mother, and despite his wounds, he looked happy.

“I suppose you haven’t found us yet.” She finally said.

“I had no idea.” Scorpion said honestly.

It was Harumi that closed the distance between them, after discreetly signaling for Satoshi to stay back. She stood close enough that Scorpion could touch her, but he resisted the impulse to hold her tightly.

“I remember how hard this time was for you.” She said, looking into his eyes.

“You’re both alive. Nothing else matters to me.”

“I have heard this before.” Harumi’s lips curled up slightly, which was a good sign for Scorpion.

Maybe she could forgive him. Still, he didn’t know if he could forgive himself.

“I am not worthy of being in your presence. I will leave.”

“Wait-”

“Don’t worry, I will serve Kronika no longer. I won’t get in the way.” He tried to reassure her.

“Stay with us,” Satoshi said. “This is your home too. You can help us defeat Kronika.”

Harumi nodded. “Our allies will reunite here before we take our next step. Help us restore the timeline, so you can go back and find us again.”

That was a tempting proposal. Scorpion envied his future self a little, for all the time he had with his family. He wanted this too. He wanted to hold Harumi in his arms again and to see Satoshi growing up. He wanted this future.

“Where is…?” Scorpion paused, unsure of what to call his future self. Harumi understood what he meant even so.

“Hanzo… this time’s Hanzo, I mean, he is trying to find us a way to reach Kronika’s island.”

“Kharon.” Scorpion guessed. He had been on his way to find the captain on Kronika’s orders. She knew their plan.

And even if Scorpion wasn’t there to ruin them, it was unlikely Kronika hadn’t sent backup.

“Is he alone?”

“Yes.” Harumi frowned. “What do you know?”

“Kronika had sent me after Kharon as well. She knows your plan. I need to find him.”

“We’re going with you!” Satoshi said.

“No, the Netherrealm is too dangerous. I can’t let you go there.” Scorpion turned to Harumi, and looked into the beautiful, kind eyes he missed so much. “He probably can deal with whoever else Kronika sent on his own, but… I need to make sure. I promise your husband will come back to you this time.”

“Will you come back too?”

He smiled under his mask.

“I don’t think I would be able to stay away, even if I tried.”

And with that, he disappeared in a spiral of fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally did not plan in advance for this fic to prevent Hanzo’s death but we all know that if past!Scorpion saw Harumi he would instantly switch sides 
> 
> While I do believe that nothing that happened in MK11 will “stick”, with Liu Kang remaking the timeline and all, I’ve read enough fics in which everyone moved on with the dead remaining dead and the past people staying in the present, so there is one version of the future in this in which Harumi just takes the young Scorpion in and he gives her more headaches than her two sons (Satoshi and Takeda) together. Or as I said in my tumblr:
> 
> “Sometimes a family is a man, his wife, his husband, his two sons (one biological and one adopted), his badass daughter-in-law, and his younger self from an alternate timeline that kinda stuck with them and should never be left unsupervised”

**Author's Note:**

> And this is it! I had a lot of fun with this AU and I am not done with it - while I was writing I thought of many scenes that didn’t fit in here, and I plan on writing some of them, and I also consider taking requests set in here too.
> 
> My tumblr is @evasivaardilosa, feel free to visit and even send an ask if you want!


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